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HPV (the virus that causes penile and anal warts and can lead to cancer in those areas) is very widespread among HIV+ gay men. Apparently the FDA is considering expanding the vaccination against HPV that works in younger, unexposed adults to younger boys/men. If the vaccine works effectively, it could reduce the percentage of gay men who acquire HPV in the future and thereby reduce deaths from the related cancer. The vaccine does not work in individuals who have already been exposed to HPV.
Please read this important message about FDA hearings. Also, make sure to get regular anal pap smears to detect anal cancer cells, particularly if you know that you had anal warts in the past. And check for cancreous growths around the penis, as HPV can still be present no matter if you developed warts or not.
Stay in good health and get treated effectively and quickly.
Bryan
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Gardasil For Boys Hearing in Atlanta NEED PUBLIC COMMENT
From: Matt Sharp <mattsharpster@...>
Date: Thu, September 03, 2009 2:40 pm
To: SINSanFrancisco@yahoogroups.com, thriving@yahoogroups.com, Bryan
Levinson <bryan@...>
FDA is considering expanding the indication for Merck's Gardasil HPV vaccine to young boys in addtion to girls & young women. The rationale for doing so will be that it can prevent death from penile & anal cancers, as well as morbidity from venereal warts, and that immunizing boys will also protect their partners (female and male) and further reduce the burden of HPV disease in the general population (aka "herd immunity"). While it may be too late for adults like us to avoid HPV infection, this could save future generations from needless suffering from cancers & veneral warts.
The FDA is expected to approve this indication for boys, and that approval will be followed by hearings at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta for recommendations for the government to pay for this vaccine for those covered by govt funded health programs. These hearings will take place Oct 21 & 22. There is a public comment section for people to testify as to the importance of these vaccine, and as an anal cancer survivor I plan to attend. At a similar hearing regarding recommendations for the same vaccine when the indication was expanded to young women instead of just girls, the public testimony and comments received helped convince the committee to recommend coverage of Gardasil for that use.Therefore I am trying to get as many men as possible who've experienced, or lost partners to, anal or penile cancers to consider testifying as to the importance of this vaccine for boys & men. Individuals desiring to send in public comments may do so at this email address: acip@....
Please forward this to friends & colleagues whom you think might be interested in assisting in this effort. If you are able to attend the hearing on Oct 21, please contact me directly at this e-mail address. More information on the vaccine and the CDC hearing process can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/meetings.htm#register
Thank you.
Jeff Taylor
Palm Springs
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